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6/7/10 11:03 PM | Kelli DeMario
Newly-crowned World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will make the transition from clay to grass this week, as he heads to the AEGON Championships in London. The French Open champion leads a talented field as the top seed.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has little time to celebrate his championship success over Robin Soderling in Paris, as he must quickly prepare for the grass-court season in England. The 24-year-old is set to return to the AEGON Championships this year after missing the 2009 event with injury. Nadal won the 2008 crown to become the first Spaniard to capture a grass-court title in 26 years.
Nadal commences the tournament with a 38-4 record, bolstered by another spectacular effort during the European clay-court season. In addition to taking his fifth trophy at Roland Garros, the Mallorcan swept the Masters 1000 events, earning top honors in Monte Carlo, Rome and Madrid.
The World No. 1 tops a 56-player draw flush with talent that includes: 2008 finalist Novak Djokovic, defending champion Andy Murray, four-time title-winner Andy Roddick, Marin Cilic, Gael Monfils, Sam Querrey and Feliciano Lopez.
Rounding out the list of seeds are Julien Benneteau, Janko Tipsarevic, Richard Gasquet, Michael Llodra, Santiago Giraldo, Dudi Sela, Andreas Seppi and Denis Istomin.
Nadal, nearest in the draw to the 16th-seeded Istomin, is located in the same half as hometown hope Murray, Cilic and Lopez. Benneteau, Llodra and Giraldo complete the collection of seeded players located in the World No. 1's section.
After a first-round bye, the World No. 1 will face Brazilian Marcos Daniel in round two. Should the Mallorcan pass through the early rounds, he looks toward a likely semifinal match with defending champion Andy Murray, who takes on Spain's Ivan Navarro in the opening round.
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Are Rafa and Murray not scheduled to meet in the semi-final?
VAMOS RAFA!
nadline , 6/8/10 10:30 AM
Yes, as 1st and 3rd seed they can't meet earlier than the semis
SGHIceman , 6/8/10 10:40 AM
From the ATP website:
Barely 24 hours since lifting his fifth Roland Garros crown at the French Open on Sunday, the new World No.1 Rafael Nadal arrived in London for the AEGON Championships on Monday, and promptly started practicing on grass, in the pouring rain.
The Spaniard was mobbed by hundreds of adoring fans when his car pulled up at The Queen's Club. In the locker-room he was greeted with handshakes, pats on the back and even a small round of applause by the other players. Then he got ready to practice.
Moments later the weather, which had remained dry throughout the day, turned. Rain started falling, play on the Centre Court was suspended and a practice-session seemed impossible. Even the tennis nets were taken down.
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Take note those who say Rafa is not liked in the locker room!!!!!!!!!!
nadline , 6/8/10 1:53 PM
that was very nice to read nadline. thanks for posting.
homos , 6/8/10 2:13 PM
nadline what's more impressive to me then the applause is that he asked to have the nets put back up and practiced (short one mind you), in the pouring rain. Lol.
smr , 6/8/10 2:14 PM
Link to footage of Rafa arriving at Queens and practising:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/7809947/French- Open-winner-Rafael-Nadal-arrives-at-Queens.html
nadline , 6/8/10 4:30 PM
Where nadal is playing,almost all the top seeds are playing except roger. This queens title, i think might decide who has a good chance at wimbledon.
But,looking at rogers side at halle, he doesn't have much of a competition over there.
Nadal is really a tough guy.I don't know why,but he's so much hungry all the time.
In fact,there is no one,who can actually beat nadal,except if he's injured or not playing. Now roger federer will have to fight extra-ordinarily to win any grands...
I am saying this even though i like roger more.But gotta face facts...
tlebin , 6/8/10 5:04 PM
Let all us Nadal fans hope he continues to economise his game. 4 hrs in a round of 16 warm-up match to wimbledon is not good for the body...We need Rafa in the game. This would of been a boring decade of mens tennis without Rafa to counter the brilliance of Federer.
cloudbase , 6/11/10 7:24 AM
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I hope they get to play together in the quarterfinal - should be a good good match if Murray is in form.
BTW - it has nothing to do with this news article but, would somebody please update the ATP Ranking page at tennistalk???? it still lists Fed as Nr 1!!! brrrrr
Shireling , 6/8/10 10:00 AM